As the end of the group stages draws near, teams are eagerly fighting for those final few points that will become the deciding factor if they begin the Main Event from the Lower Bracket or the Upper Bracket. With Group B having the potential for a 4 way tie, every match matters. 14

The last group stage day at The International 5 is crucial for most of the teams as at the end of it lower and upper brackets will be determined and the best of one game to decide your TI journey from lower bracket is an extremely scary thing to face.12

One of the most beautiful stories in The International history is written these days in Seattle by the youngsters from CDEC Gaming as they finish the group stage day three on first position in their group.30

The Wild Card competition is the opening act of The International 5 and it is only two days away. Before the four participating teams start battling it out for the last two remaining spots in Key Arena, let's review their drafting statistics for the current patch.10

After an eventful first day, here is what happened on the days leading up to the groupstage of The International 5. This blog entry features experience from the welcome party, the photoshoot and the bootcamp.18

Touchdown! After years of failing my visa application, I am finally here in Seattle for The International. From what I was informed, the TI bootcamp and groupstage is a closed door event and hopefully I am able to provide you an insight as to what happens here.22

With a few short days left until the group stage of The International 5 kicks off, this is the last opportunity to review some of the teams that are not perceived as clear favorites but certainly have the potential to claim the Aegis. 24

Credited with the fewest chances to actually win the trophy at The International 2015, EHOME, MvP.HOT6 and compLexity Gaming should not be underestimated though. Here's a summary review of their drafting habits in the current patch.12

Counting the few days left till the start of The International 5, we take a last look at the underdogs, going over their hero repertoires, the outline of their drafts and the way their choices fit the current meta. 26

The International 5 is nigh upon us. As such let's take a retrospective look at 6.84 as a whole, breaking down its overarching trends in terms of heroes most picked and banned, those which were most sought after throughout the drafting stages, and the heroes with the highest and lowest win rates. 7

Although The International is fundamentally about pitting players against each other in a fit of competition, it is also a time for the flourishing of brotherhood and companionship. Let's take a look at the most important bromances that fans should be paying attention to going into this year's TI. 15